Delhi Schools Implement Hybrid Classes as Air Quality Plummets

Wed Nov 12 2025 15:54:03 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In response to deteriorating air quality, Delhi authorities have initiated hybrid classes for schoolchildren, urging them to stay indoors as pollution levels reach alarming rates.

Delhi's air quality has worsened considerably, prompting the imposition of hybrid learning for primary students. Authorities also banned non-essential construction and limited goods carrier movement in response to severe pollution levels, with PM2.5 concentrations reported at 438, significantly exceeding safe limits. Medical experts recommend that people, particularly the elderly and children, avoid outdoor activities unless necessary.

Schools in Delhi have been asked to run hybrid classes for primary students as air quality continues to worsen in the Indian capital. The authorities implemented stricter anti-pollution measures, including a ban on non-essential construction activities and limits on the movement of goods carriers in the city and suburbs.

Delhi's air quality has reached severe levels, which poses health risks even to healthy individuals while significantly impacting those with pre-existing conditions. PM2.5 levels in the air soared to 438 micrograms per cubic meter, according to the Central Pollution Control Board, marking dangerously high concentrations that can severely affect lung function.

This figure is nearly 30 times higher than the World Health Organisation's recommended limits and is approximately eight times above the national average, which stands at a maximum of 15 micrograms for a safe 24-hour air quality indication.

With health experts advising against outdoor activities, especially for vulnerable populations like children and the elderly, residents are urged to wear protective masks if they must venture outside.

Air pollution in Delhi is a recurring issue, particularly during winter, arising from a combination of factors including low wind speeds, industrial emissions, vehicular exhaust, and agricultural practices such as crop stubble burning in neighboring states. The Delhi government has activated stage three of its Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), banning mining activities, stone crushing, and imposing restrictions on vehicles that carry dust-generating materials.

The alarming air quality levels have also triggered protests and political disputes in the capital. Leaders from the opposition Aam Aadmi Party have accused the Delhi government of manipulating air quality data and failing to protect public health, while the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has dismissed these claims, asserting that efforts to tackle pollution continue earnestly.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta emphasized that the government is taking the situation seriously, while Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa stated that air quality data remains transparent and that measures like watering near monitoring sites are used strictly to reduce dust emissions, not to skew results.